NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
General News

Ritual killings: Media executive seeks urgent protection for girls

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By Folasade Akpan

Mr Sunday Oyinloye, Publisher of Green Savannah Diplomatic Cable, has called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to take decisive action against the rising incidents of ritual killings of girls across the nation.

 

Oyinloye made the appeal on Tuesday in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in response to the recent killing of Yetunde Lawal, a final-year student of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.

 

Lawal was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Abdulrahman Bello, whom she met on social media.

 

Oyinloye emphasised that the rise in such incidents not only puts Nigerian girls at risk but also damages the nation’s image internationally.

 

He attributed the growing frequency of these crimes to the failure of the government at all levels to effectively address the issue.

 

He noted that many Nigerian youths have abandoned legitimate means of wealth acquisition, turning to ritual killings, which he described as gradually becoming normalised in the country.

 

Oyinloye revealed that his organisation launched a campaign against ritual killings in January 2022 and had continued this effort independently over the past three years.

 

In spite of the lack of support, he affirmed that the organisation remained committed to the cause.

 

“When we started this campaign in 2022 and released a jingle, the then Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, assured that the Federal Government would initiate a widespread anti-ritual killing awareness campaign.

 

“However, nothing has been done since then,” Oyinloye said.

 

He added that the organisation’s efforts include translating the jingle into the three major Nigerian languages and airing it on local radio stations to reach grassroots communities.

 

Oyinloye stressed that the fight against ritual killings must also involve traditional and religious leaders, who he urged to speak out against the practice.

 

He called on Nigerian youths to reject the temptation of seeking quick wealth through violence and instead embrace hard work and legitimate business opportunities.

 

“It is tragic that innocent girls are being murdered, and their body parts sold at absurd prices.

 

“Taking someone’s life for money rituals is both inhumane and misguided,” he said, further urging youths to abandon the evil practice and focus on honest work.

 

He also advocated for the implementation of the death penalty for those convicted of ritual killings, without the possibility of prison sentences.

 

Oyinloye commended the Nigerian police for their efforts in tackling ritual killings and called for greater public support in the fight against this heinous practice.

 

Additionally, he lauded the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, for issuing a directive condemning ritual killings and encouraged other traditional leaders to follow suit in protecting Nigeria’s image. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

General News

FG commits to girls’ education, empowerment

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By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening support for girls’ education and empowerment in the country.

Ahmed spoke in Abuja on Thursday during a road walk for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Employment (AGILE) programme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inscription for the AGILE road walk is tagged Madubi, and the programme is designed to improve secondary education for girls in Nigeria.

Madubi is a Hausa word meaning “mirror” and it aims to increase public awareness and action on girls’ education.

The minister stressed the importance of girls’ education in driving national development, noting that more support would be given to the initiative.

According to her, the road walk is for “the girl to see herself in us as a mirror for a better future.

“We support every programme that seeks to empower the girl-child.

“At the Federal Ministry of Education, we have our own programme that we are going to launch soon to ensure that we empower the girl-child.

“But AGILE is wonderful in terms of giving opportunity to the girl-child by providing access and opportunity for the girl-child to flourish in our society.

“We hope to see other programmes that will ensure every girl-child has the opportunity to reach her full potential,” she said.

Also speaking, the AGILE National Project Coordinator, Mrs Amina Haruna, said the initiative was established to ensure that no girl is left behind in education and to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Haruna explained that educating girls leads to societal transformation, saying that the slogan Madubi symbolises the girl as a reflection of society.

Sharing the project’s success stories, Haruna said the initiative was being implemented in 18 states, resulting in the construction of classrooms, provision of WASH facilities, and distribution of learning materials to schools.

“We have renovated about 10,000 classrooms. We have built about 475 schools.

“Where there’s a primary school, we try to build a junior secondary school. Where there’s a junior secondary school, we build a senior secondary school.

“We are doing this to bring schools closer to the girls. We don’t want the girls to walk long distances before reaching school.

“And according to the education policy, no girl-child or any child should have to walk more than five kilometres to access school.

“So that transition from one level to the next will be easier for adolescent girls,” she said.

The national coordinator further stated that in 2025, plans were underway to accelerate progress by constructing more classrooms, expanding WASH facilities, and providing more scholarships to the poorest households.

Regarding the challenges of girls’ education due to social norms, she said the organisation was partnering with the Sultan Foundation to address any resistance from communities hosting the projects. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

Features

Second Chance Education for Kaduna Girls: Challenges and way forward

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By Aisha Gambo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Bilkisu Aminu was just 16 when she was married off by her parents.

Coming from a less privileged background in Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna, young Bilkisu had keen interest in learning. She wanted to become a medical doctor.

“When a well-to-do suitor came to my house seeking my hand in marriage, I told him I would continue my education after marriage because I was in JSS 1 when he proposed.

“But he refused, he said he didn’t want me to go to school after marriage and my dad didn’t give me the support I needed; so I kept begging even after marriage.

“I kept my uniform in a safe place because I love school and would want to return.

Aminu is now 21 and divorced with a child. Her interest in learning is reignited. She wants to go back to school but does not know where to start.

According to a report by Save the Children78 per cent of girls in the northern region of Nigeria are married before the age of 18, while 44 per cent of girls are married before their 18th birthday in the whole country.

The report titled “State of the Nigerian Girl Report – An Incisive Diagnosis of Child Marriage” shows that child marriage is more prevalent in the northwest and northeast of Nigeria.

The report also states that 48 per cent of girls were married by age 15 and 78 per cent were married by age 18.

A survey by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics in 2020 shows that 31.1 per cent of children within the primary school age were out of school.

It also showed that 31.9 per cent of children within the junior secondary school age were out of school in the state.

Kaduna State’s Second Chance Policy

The Kaduna State School Census Report 2020 revealed that 25 per cent of adolescent girls dropped out of school. This is due to factors like early marriage, insecurity and poverty, among others.

With this development, the Kaduna state government developed an Education Policy in 2019 which made provision for Second Chance Education (SCE)

The state also developed a 10-year Education Sector Plan (ESP) named Kaduna State 2019 – 2029 Education Sector Strategic Plan.

The plan is a comprehensive and strategic framework developed with the support of development partners to guide planning, implementation and evaluation of education policies and programmes.

UNICEF says to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is inclusive and equitable quality education for all, a Gender-Responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) is essential.

The Director of Planning, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Salisu Lawal, stated that SCE is being implemented with support from development partners for girls who dropped out because they got married.

He said the programme had so far reached 14 communities in 10 Local Government Areas across the state with about 700 drop-out married adolescent girls benefitting since inception in 2018.

Aisha Muhammad, Deputy Director,  Female Education stated that the department creates awareness in communities and engages traditional and religious leaders on the need for drop-out married girls to go to school.

“Those leaders now announce in churches and mosques urging girls interested in going back to school to join the programme.

“We also engage husbands and show them the importance of education to their wives and family at large.

“Some will agree while others will not and some of the adolescent girls who dropped out to get married may later get divorced.

“Others may lose their husbands and come back to school while some who dropped out of school due to medical challenges would want to go back to school.

She said that the ministry is planning to scale up the programme to other local government areas.

Beneficiaries’ Plea

Rabi’at Aliyu, an enrollee in SCE, called on the government to adjust the school time for married women, saying most married women find it hard to be in school in the morning.

Aliyu, who married at the age of 15, could not complete her secondary education as she dropped out of school after JSS 3.

After having her first child, Aliyu decided to go back to school but her husband would not allow her.

She eventually got divorced and remarried. The new husband is supportive; he allowed her to go back to school.

Aged 21, Aliyu enrolled in Government Secondary School, Rigasa and is now in SS 2.

“My challenge started when I got pregnant; I had to go on a break because it wasn’t easy and the school authorities understood.

“Whenever there is a need for me to go back home during school hours, the school authorities allow me because they are aware I’m married.

“I want to become a journalist that is why I’m not giving up,” she said.

Another beneficiary attending Government Secondary School (GSS), Rido in Chikun LGA, Nafisa Aminu, who is a nursing mother, urged the government to include virtual learning in the SCE programme

“We go to school late due to house chores and children; my attention is usually divided since we are not allowed to bring babies to the class.

“If we can get a crèche where we can keep our children till lessons are over, it will help us a lot; we can learn online or on radio just like the way it happened during COVID-19,” she said.

Experts advocate programme flexibility, awareness 

In spite of efforts by the state government to sustain the SCE policy, some experts are of the view that more needs to be done for effective implementation.

Barr. Jennifer Abaji , Founder, Basileia Vulnerable Persons Rights Initiative (BVPRI), stated that one of the things stopping married adolescent girls from joining the second chance education programme is insufficient flexibility.

“We are advocating for the Kaduna state government to leverage ICT to make this second chance education programme more flexible.

“That means instead of the girl getting worried about always getting to school, the school can get to the married adolescents through remote learning.

“Our organisation has successfully convinced the government to allow out-of-school married adolescents to be able to learn from home leveraging ICT.

“We are glad that the government has bought into it and they are excited to review the second chance programme and they promised to invite us to the review of the entire policy,” he said.

According to Abaji, the second chance programme has not been fully utilised saying it would have reached more people if it was flexible.

She recommended that skills acquisition should be added to the programme so that married girls can be able to solve some small financial issues and take care of themselves properly.

Abaji called on the government to ensure that these out-of-school married adolescents are able to have access to the technological tools needed to learn remotely.

As some experts advocate the flexibility of the programme by leveraging ICT, others are calling for intensified awareness campaigns on the programme.

Mrs Margaret John, the principal of Babban Sauran Junior Secondary School stated that most of the girls who are interested in going back to school are not well informed about the programme.

“The government needs to step up in advertisement in jingles both on television and radio.

“It should also use government schools to invite communities around and inform them on the need to bring out these interested girls.

“Most of the problem now is that they are not even aware of the opportunities and if they do, the response would be very interesting,” she said.

Stakeholders however agree that the SCE policy of Kaduna State represents a transformative initiative to address the educational challenges faced by adolescent girls, particularly those impacted by early marriage and other socio-economic barriers.

While significant progress has been made in providing opportunities for school dropouts to return to learning, much remains to be done to enhance its impact.

Flexibility in the programme, including virtual learning options and provision of childcare facilities, as well as the integration of skills acquisition, can help address the unique needs of married girls and young mothers.

Moreover, intensified awareness campaigns are crucial to ensuring that more girls and their families are informed about the programme’s existence and benefits.

As the Kaduna State government works to scale up the initiative, collaboration with stakeholders and leveraging technology will be key to ensuring that no girl is left behind in the pursuit of education.

By empowering these young women, the state not only transforms their lives but also strengthens the foundation for a more inclusive and prosperous society. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria

Gender

Minister urges action to protect rights, dignity of women, girls

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By Justina Auta

The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has stressed the need for deliberate action to protect the rights, safety and dignity of women and girls across the country.

She made the call at the launch of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Abuja on Monday with the theme ‘Unite Campaign: Towards Beijing to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls’.

The minister, who described GBV as a societal issue and an impediment to development, expressed concern over the statistics in the country.

She said the statistics show women and girls at great risk, stressing that “the growing trend represents gross violation of human rights and undermines the very fabric of the society, thereby preventing women and girls from achieving their full potential.

“Gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue; it is a societal issue, a human rights issue, and an impediment to our nation’s development.

“The statistics before us on  GBV in Nigeria remains deeply troubling. Even as we embark on this campaign today, a little child has just violated, a woman has just been abused, a young girl’s life is at risk somewhere in a community, all for no just cause.

“Current reports indicate that 30 per cent of Nigerian women and girls aged between 15 and 49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.

“This violence occurs not only in homes, but extends to schools, workplaces and communities. Violence does not know any tribe nor creed, it cuts across social and economic boundaries. It affects both young and old”.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, therefore, urged the media to amplify the voices of survivors, highlight success stories and hold perpetrators accountable, as well as educate the public against such act.

She said the campaign would focus on community mobilisation and education to challenge harmful cultural norms, stereotypes and practices that perpetuate violence.

“We will continuously engage traditional and religious leaders as community gate keepers,” she added.

Ms Beatrice Eyong, the Country Representative of UN Women to Nigeria and ECOWAS, also stressed the need for renewed efforts toward addressing gender inequality and violence against women and girls.

Eyong said 42 per cent of women were financially excluded, with women holding less than five per cent of elective positions.

According to her, this imposes significant economic loss, estimated at 1.5 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP annually, hindering development and progress.

She added that “GBV is everywhere, it is not good for neither the men nor the women. It has the capacity to reduce economic growth if this is not reduced, we will never come out of poverty. It is not just a human rights issue, it is an economic issue.

“The funding for gender equality and women empowerment has reduced, and as experts, we have to think of innovative ways to mobilise funds to fight the menace”.

Gautier Mignot, European Union Ambassador, said “we cannot help but commend the critical reforms that have been initiated by state government and civil society organisations, of which, we have started seeing progress”.

Represented by Toyosi Giwa, Technical Lead, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption ( ROLaC), Mignot pledged sustained advocacy “until perpetrators are held accountable and punished and every survivor gain access to assistance that they need to recover and heal”,

Mr Gabriel Aduda, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said that in commemorating the 2024 activities, commitments would be re-enforced, while collaborations and empowerment of survivors strengthened.

Aduda added that “GBV remains a pervasive issue in our societies, transcending borders, cultures and socioeconomic status. It continues to rob individuals of their dignity, undermine families and hinder national development.

“In Nigeria, statistics paint a sobering picture, with a significant percentage of women and girls experiencing violence in their lifetimes. This is unacceptable, and we must act with urgency,” he said.

Aduda, therefore, stressed the need to move beyond rhetoric by amplifying voices, strengthening actions and deepen resolve to address the root causes of GBV.

“Every law we enact, every programme we implement, and every survivor we empower brings us closer to a Nigeria where women and girls can live free from fear and violence,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Health

Niger vaccinates 444,658 girls against HPV

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By Rita Iliya

Niger state Ministry of Primary Healthcare has vaccinated no fewer than 444,658 girls against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) during its vaccination campaign.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state inaugurated a campaign on inoculations of more than 500,000 girls against HVP, the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI).

 

Mr Daniel Jiya, Director, Food and Drugs and Project Manager of the State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre (SERICC), disclosed this during the vaccination review meeting in Minna on Wednesday.

 

He said this achievement had placed Niger State third in Nigeria’s HPV vaccination drive.

 

“The targeted demographic was girls aged 9-14, chosen because they have reached early adulthood,” he said.

 

Jiya disclosed that cervical cancer claims 8,000 lives annually in Nigeria, accounting for 95 per cent of deaths among women.

 

He said HPV vaccine has been proven safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer.

 

He said the objectives of the meeting was to review HPV vaccine progress, foster collaboration between stakeholders, and address challenges in vaccine delivery.

 

He emphasised that immunisation was the safest and most cost-effective way to tackle diseases, calling on all to spread the word and ensure children get vaccinated.

 

Other objectives was to review progress, foster collaboration, address challenges by identifying and mitigating obstacles in vaccine service delivery and strengthen stakeholder involvement.

 

He, however, said part of the challenges encountered during the campaign was low uptake of the vaccine due to misconceptions and limited awareness

 

In her goodwill message, Gerida Birukila, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, commended stakeholders for their efforts and urged continued awareness creation to reach areas not reached during the campaign.

 

Also, Andrea Okeke-Ewewi, representative of Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), commended the efforts in ensuring that over 400,000 eligible girls were vaccinated during the vaccination campaign in Niger state. (NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Defence/Security

DEPOWA sensitises, distributes sanitary pads to girls

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By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence and Police Officer’s Wives Association (DEPOWA) on Monday sensitised girls of adolescent age to menstrual health hygiene and distributed sanitary pads at the Junior Secondary School Dei-Dei in Abuja.

The President of DEPOWA, Mrs Oghogho Musa, said the event ‘Menstrual Health, Hygiene management and Reusable Pad-making training’ was organised to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child 2024.

Musa said the initiative was informed by the need to support girls and help them reach their full potential.

She said the association also introduced the making and use of reusable pad to the students to ease the burden of buying disposable types.

“We celebrate the potential, resilience and strength of girls worldwide.

“We recognise the obstacles they face from gender based violence, limited access to education and healthcare, but most importantly, we affirm our commitment to creating a world where girls can strive.

“Therefore, as part of the commitment towards empowering girls to end period poverty in public schools in the FCT, we are here today for the menstrual health and hygiene management and reusable pad-making training for all our lovely schoolgirls here today,” she said.

Musa added that the initiative was in line with her vision to see women and girls become productive contributors to family and society driven by a deep sense of values and hard working spirit.

She commended the girls for their enthusiasm towards learning how to help themselves in taking care of their menstrual health.

She, therefore, urged the students to be committed and learn, assuring them that their dreams were valid and their future were bright.

“You are change makers. You are the leaders of tomorrow,” she added.

The facilitator, Ms Amara Ezediniru, said the occasion was driven by the desire to end “period poverty” among girls.

She said that some girls often miss classes due to period of menstrual flow and inability to access sanitary pads.

“We were told that girls are uncomfortable coming to school during their monthly flow and how some of them even miss classes because they don’t have who to help them take care of their menstrual situation.

“We were told that the children here, a lot of them are from non-privileged homes and that is why we have come to identify with you.

“This is because every girl child is important to us not just to give you pads, but we want to teach you about menstrual hygiene.

“We also want to teach you how to make reusable sanitary pads so that you can make for yourself and use them.

“Then you won’t have to miss school and you won’t have to be disadvantaged,” she said.

The Principal of the School, Mr Abdullahi Lakuza, commended DEPOWA for the sensitisation and donation to the school girls, appealing to the association to assist the school in other areas of needs.

“We have been crying of so many things, but our mother is here to help us, not just about your menstrual period, but I’m sure she can even do much more,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Gender

SWEDI donates dignity packs to celebrate school girls in Abuja

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By Philip Yatai

An NGO, Safe World Empowerment and Development Initiative (SWEDI), has donated dignitary packs to school girls to commemorate 2024 International Day of the Girl Child in Abuja.

Some of the items include sanitary pads, toothbrush and paste, toilet paper, bathing soap and vaseline among others.

The founder and Executive Director of the NGO, Ms Sewuese Asa, led the distribution on Friday, at Junior Secondary School, Kabusa, in Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Asa said that the support was in line with the 2024 theme, “Girls’ Vision for the Future”, to empower young girls through the SWEDI Care programme.

She said that the initiative was designed to support girls’ menstrual health, through sensitisation on menstrual hygiene and distribution of dignity packs.

This, she said, would ensure that no girl is held back by menstrual period.

She explained that the school outreach was to support girls’ menstrual hygiene and overall well-being, in line with the NGO’s vision of creating lasting change for women and girls across Nigeria.

The executive director also emphasised the importance of girls’ education, health and leadership training to enable them to contribute to the advancement of the society.

“SWEDI Care is more than just  products; it is about ensuring that every girl can continue to dream, learn, and lead with confidence and dignity.

“The outreach has attracted the attention of stakeholders to the critical issue of menstrual hygiene among young girls.

She reaffirmed SWEDI’s commitment to continue advocating for girls’ rights and well-being.

One of the school girls, Fatima Mohammed Fatima, described the outreach as simply “informative and impactful.”

Mohammed, who is the Head Girl of the school, thanked SWEDI for the enlightenment, saying, “we have learnt about the importance of menstrual hygiene and how to take care of ourselves, especially during menstrual period.

“The dignity packs we received from SWEDI Care are going to help us to stay confident and comfortable in school.

“I have learnt that having a menstrual period is normal and nothing to be ashamed of, and with the dignity pack from SWEDI, I now have the things I need to manage my period properly, even when I am at school.

“This programme has made me feel more confident about myself.

“I will share this knowledge with my friends and younger girls, so they don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed when they are menstruating.

“They need to know how to take care of themselves. We all deserve to feel strong and proud; no matter what,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

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